Nocturnal Confession
by Broken Angel01
Summary: A confession always springs forth more readily under the cover of darkness, especially when you're lucky enough to have a friend close by who somehow has the ability to wipe out the fear and uncertainty that often plagues your heart with astounding ease. This time is no different, and naturally the prince of Lucis is more than willing to oblige.


Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy XV or anything else from Final Fantasy.

 **A/N: This fic is a sequel to _Ruby Red_ and a prequel to _The Gift of Light._ So basically it takes place between the two stories. In _The Gift of Light,_ Noctis thinks back on a midnight confession from Prompto, which is briefly reflected upon, but I figured why just mention it in passing when I can let you guys read it for yourselves! Because of that I decided to write the scene out as a story, so I hope you all like it. I do have an idea for another fic from Prompto's POV, so look for that one hopefully soon! And I also have another idea from Noct's POV that I will probably write first cause it's shorter. A huge thank you to all of you who reviewed _Amber Gold._ You guys made my day and have inspired me to continue writing more of that endearing friendship you all love!  
**

Nocturnal Confession

The quiet murmur of a distressed voice filled the darkness of the caravan, and shifting slightly on the mattress, the crown prince of the Lucis kingdom slowly opened his eyes, his handsome features twisting into a deep frown. As he lay there on his side in the pitch blackness of the night, the gentle breeze from the open window ruffling his dark hair, he felt the warmth of a body cowering against his back before the pleasant sensation disappeared again, causing him to shiver slightly in the cool night air.

A moment later, the body was pressing close again, and he jerked in surprise as an elbow suddenly dug sharply into the back of his rib cage, nearly taking his breath away. The soft cries filling the room began to grow louder and more persistent, and listening to the choking gasps of a dying man struggling to take in air as the slender body laying next to him continued to struggle in the darkness, a bare foot kicked him in the back of the knees before the slim form rolled away again, the man's ragged breathing sending a chill that had nothing to do with the cold traveling down his spine.

According to his phone, which was lying next to him on the bed where it must have dropped out of his hands after falling asleep, it was one o'clock in the morning, and thinking back on the evening before, it took him a moment to realize he was sleeping in a caravan at the Alstor Coernix Station, his body curled beneath several blankets to ward off the chill.

Just outside the open door, he could see the dark forms of Ignis and Gladiolus, both of whom were sleeping in the two twin beds lining the walls of the trailer before the caravan branched out into the kitchen and living areas, and realizing the desperate cries of his sleeping companion were bound to wake the other two occupants of the trailer if he didn't do something about it, Noctis carefully twisted around to face the golden-haired man struggling next to him, a pale hand nearly smacking him between the eyes for his efforts.

Prompto was writhing almost painfully beneath the sheets, the blond's handsome features contorted in fear, and realizing his best friend was having a nightmare, Noctis quickly sat up and reached out to shake the other man's shoulder, his eyebrows narrowing further as the blond immediately recoiled at his touch. "Prompto, wake up."

The garbled reply he received reeked of terror, and attempting to twist away from him, Prompto nearly fell off the bed. Luckily, Noctis was able to catch the other man, and roughly shaking the blond's shoulders, he said sharply, "Come on, wake up."

"N-no, don't touch me," Prompto mumbled, struggling frantically in his grip. "S-stay away from me."

Noctis froze, the unexpected protest catching him completely off guard, and quickly loosening his grip, he said in a more soothing tone, "Hey, it's me. It's Noct. Open your eyes for me, Prompto."

 _It's just a dream. He's not talking to you, idiot._

Logically speaking, Noctis knew he was right, but the words still stung a bit. Never before had Prompto ever pulled away from his touch like that, and the fear and disgust in his friend's tone made him want to punch somebody. Preferably the asshole who was causing the blond's nightmare in the first place.

 _What the hell is he dreaming about?_

"C-can't breath," Prompto whispered, the blond's hands reaching up to claw at his throat. "Y-you're wrong. Noct wouldn't...He'd never...leave me..."

Noctis quickly grabbed both of Prompto's wrists, preventing the blond from scratching himself hard enough to break the sensitive skin surrounding his vulnerable neck, and tensing at the sound of his own name, he forcefully pulled the other man against him in a moment of weakness and said fiercely without thinking, "Dammit, wake up, would you? Of course I'm never gonna leave you."

 _Like hell I'd ever let you out of my sight. You're not going anywhere without me._

The heated words he hadn't meant to say must have gotten through to his golden-haired friend, who shuddered at the close contact between them, and letting out a choked gasp, Prompto's bright blue eyes suddenly snapped open, the blond's whole body heaving as he tried desperately to fill his lungs with much needed air.

"Hey, easy there," Noctis murmured, gently rubbing his friend's back as Prompto proceeded to cough and hack against his shoulder. "Relax, you're fine. It was just a dream."

Prompto blinked a few times, trying unsuccessfully to focus on his surroundings, and growing suddenly limp in his arms, the blond shivered in his grip and mumbled weakly against his shoulder, "N-Noct?"

"I'm here."

"It...it is you," the blond murmured, pressing closer to him for comfort. "Y-your...real..."

 _Huh?_

Noctis wasn't quite sure what to make of such a bizarre statement, and shifting slightly as Prompto's golden head proceeded to rest in the crook of his neck, he frowned, unsure of whether or not he should ask about it. He could feel a heavy pulse throbbing in the other man's slim throat, and the heartbeat pounding against his own chest felt like it was going to explode out of the blond's rib cage. That didn't exactly bode well for Prompto's state of mind, and growing uneasy, he suddenly found himself acutely aware of his golden-haired friend's own mortality.

There were times in the past when he had been a witness to Prompto's self-consciousness, but never before had he caught the other man in such a state of vulnerability as profound and heart-wrenching as what he was currently experiencing. The sight caused something inside of him to twist painfully in his chest, and keeping his arms wrapped securely around his best friend's shoulders, he paused for a moment to pull himself together before attempting to speak. Regardless of what Prompto had been dreaming about, the blond felt warm, solid, and so very much alive in his arms, and right now that was all that mattered to him. "You alright?"

 _He talks in his sleep all the time, but never like this..._

Prompto mumbled something against his neck, and reaching around the blond to grab a bottle of water off the built-in nightstand, he twisted off the cap and handed it to his distraught friend. "Here, drink up."

"Thanks," Prompto whispered, pulling back slightly so he could take the offered bottle and swallow a few sips.

Once that was done, the blond handed the bottle back, and holding onto it in case the other man needed a bit more nourishment, Noctis studied his friend for a moment before saying, "What were you dreaming about?"

Prompto slowly shook his head, and hesitantly lifting a hand to his throat, the blond said, "I-I...I don't remember. Not really. I just...there were hands around my neck. Choking me..."

Noctis felt a flash of white hot anger at those words, and sitting across from Prompto, he said coldly, "Whose hands?"

"I dunno. I can't...recall a face. B-but those hands...they were cold, harsh, and unfeeling, but...at the same time they were gentle, soothing, and just...creepy. I-I thought I was gonna die..."

Noctis could tell his friend was avoiding his eyes, and noticing the faint flush on Prompto's pale cheeks, he said calmly, "If you do remember, let me know. I'll kill the bastard, whoever he is."

Prompto stared at him, clearly not expecting such a vehement response, and turning a deep shade of red, the blond quickly ducked his head to hide his obvious embarrassment and said quietly, "Sorry, bro. I didn't mean to wake you up. I-I'm fine now. You can-"

"Like hell I'm going back to sleep," Noctis shot back, refusing to let the blond change the subject. He was feeling a tad homicidal at the moment, and woe be to anyone who touched even one single blond hair on his friend's golden head. Chances were, if they attempted to do so, they were liable to end up with a sword thrust through their rib cage, and that was only if he was feeling merciful, which he was not. "You were talking about me. In your sleep."

Prompto's mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. After a moment of dead silence, the blond finally choked out, "W-was I?"

Normally, Noctis wasn't one to pry, since he figured if Prompto, or anybody else for that matter, wanted him to know about their private affairs, they would make it his business, which as a general rule was normally the end result. If not, he didn't have a problem dropping the subject, but this time there was something about the fear in Prompto's eyes that wouldn't allow him to let the incident slide. That haunted looked in his friend's normally sparkling blue gaze was killing him, and placing his hands comfortably on the other man's shoulders, he said quietly, "Hey, have I ever turned my back on you before?"

Prompto let out a soft gasp at those words, obviously realizing his terrible cries hadn't escaped the notice of his prince, and glancing uncertainly towards the door, the blond stuttered, "I-I..."

"They're both asleep, if that's what you're worried about. Whatever you wanna say, nobody's gonna hear you but me."

"R-right," the blond mumbled, glancing once more at the sleeping forms of Ignis and Gladio before whispering, "There was a voice. It was kinda familiar, but I dunno..."

"Talking about me?"

Prompto nodded, and looking flustered, the blond murmured, "Something about you not...n-not wanting me around anymore."

Noctis gazed intently at his friend in the darkness, and leaning comfortably into the blond's shoulder, the bottle of water still clutched tightly in his hand, he said firmly, "You know that's a load of crap, right?"

There was a sharp intake of breath, and then suddenly Prompto's arms were around his waist, clinging tightly to him in the darkness. He could feel the blond trembling against him, and wrapping an arm around his friend's shoulders, the hand holding the water bottle resting against the blond's back, he closed his eyes and allowed himself a moment to focus on the sounds of the night air floating through the open window. Prompto wasn't exactly a personal space kind of guy, and while the blond was always more quick to engage in physical contact than he was, not once had he ever denied his friend a chance to get close to him, despite the occasional teasing from Ignis or Gladio. While he preferred those moments when the other two weren't around, since it was always easier for him to express his emotions without an audience, sometimes he didn't have that luxury, thus the annoying jibes he was sometimes forced to endure.

Human contact was always comfortable and easy with Prompto, never awkward or embarrassing, and since this time there were no observers around to voice their unwanted opinions, Noctis was quite content to let the blond invade his personal space, especially if it meant giving the other man the time he needed to compose himself.

"Noct?" Prompto's voice suddenly whispered in the darkness, the words muffled against his shoulder. "Do you remember when we came across that moogle a few weeks back?"

Noctis was careful to keep his expression neutral, and shrugging his shoulders, he said casually, "Sure, hard to forget something like that. What about it?"

It was a memory that still remained fresh in his mind, and thinking back on the incident, he felt his pulse speed up, his body already anticipating what Prompto was going to say. During an evening stay at Wiz's chocobo outpost, the two of them had come across a strange moogle in the middle of the night, a moogle that never should have existed to begin with since the little creatures were merely toys and mascots for entertainment purposes, not real lifeforms. Somehow, though, before they could even really comprehend what was happening, the little moogle had lured them towards the racetrack, and upon reaching their destination it had shown them images of a different world and the face of a golden-haired woman, who had spoken to them from beyond the realm of Eos. Though Noctis still remembered the mysterious female's prophetic words, her appearance and warm presence reminding him of Luna, he suddenly became acutely aware of the fact that though the woman in white had also spoken to Prompto, the blond still hadn't revealed what she had said to him. Since that night, despite how much he still wanted to know, neither one of them had brought up the incident again.

Until now, that is.

"We sure had a real time of it trying to come up with a convincing story for why we left the outpost that night," Prompto murmured, laughing softly. "I thought for sure we were gonna get busted, but somehow you managed to convince both Ignis and Gladio that a wild chocobo ran off with my camera."

Noctis slowly opened his eyes, and shaking his head, he said dryly, "Pretty sure they still suspect I wasn't telling them the truth, but they haven't gotten on my case about it since then."

"Yeah," Prompto sighed, clearly lost in his own thoughts. "You...remember how you said you'd be there if I wanted to talk about it?"

 _About time._

Noctis was careful not to smile, having earned himself an obvious victory at the blond's expense, and pulling back slightly so he could look his friend in the eyes, he said easily, "You think I'd forget something like that?"

Avoiding his gaze, Prompto slowly leaned towards him, allowing their foreheads to rest together, and gazing at his lap, his fingers clenched tightly around his thighs, the blond whispered, "Chosen son of the Kingsglaive, protect the one you trust with all your heart. Your loyalty to your king, whom you faithfully serve, will bring forth a new dawn. That's what she said to me."

For the longest time, Noctis was unable to move, the words he wanted to say getting caught in his parched throat, and taking a sip of water from the bottle that was still clenched in his hand, he slowly screwed the cap back on and let it drop to the floor with a soft thump before wrapping his arms around the blond's slender frame in a fierce embrace.

The woman's words suggested that one day he would be king, and no matter what path he took to get there, this dorky, self-conscious, soft-hearted, compassionate soul would remain by his side every step of the way. That kind of trust wasn't given freely. It was earned, and somewhere along the line, Prompto had allowed himself to place a lot of faith in his prince, which Noctis was sure he probably didn't deserve. There were no words to describe that kind of loyalty, and taking his own prophetic warning into account, it hinted that together the strength of the bond they shared would light up the world and bleed over the eastern horizon in a flash of radiance that not even the darkness emanating from the crown city could sever.

"N-Noct?"

Prompto sounded painfully timid, and sensing the blond's surprise at his unusually affectionate response, Noctis let out the breath he'd been holding and said quietly into the other man's collarbone, "How the hell did I ever end up with a best friend like you?"

"That's a good thing, right?" Prompto joked, attempting to lighten the mood.

Noctis managed to nod his head, and speaking around the sudden lump in his throat, he whispered, "Hell yes."

Prompto turned red at the praise, and relaxing against him, the blond hesitated only a second before almost shyly returning the embrace. Simple and easy, like it always was between them, so much in fact that Noctis could almost feel the strength of Prompto's trust in him radiating off the blond in waves.

 _Who would've thought I'd be this lucky?_

Wanting to return the sentiment, Noctis gently patted his friend's back, and sounding a bit more like his old self again, Prompto teased, "Your turn, bro. What did she say to you?"

Noctis was silent for a moment, content in the knowledge that his friend was no longer trembling with anxiety, and attempting to sound cool and aloof, he quoted, "Young prince of Lucis, your time is still to come. When the forces of harmony and discord collide once more, your light will bring forth a new dawn."

"Huh," Prompto replied, his brow furrowing in response. "Wonder what that's supposed to mean."

"No idea, but she mentioned the dawn to both of us."

"Like...maybe there's a chance we can save our home," Prompto said softly, his bright blue eyes sparkling in the silver light of the moon streaming through the open window. "And that somehow, we'll do it together."

"With Ignis and Gladio, no doubt."

"Definitely," Prompto agreed, nodding his head for emphasis. "And, you know...the part about harmony and discord goes way over my head, but what she said to both of us...Sounds like maybe there's a chance you won't stay a prince forever."

Noctis pulled back slightly to study his golden-haired friend's profile, and as his sapphire eyes took in Prompto's white t-shirt and light blue sleep pants, he said mildly, "Imagine that. You, a member of the Kingsglaive. You'll look fantastic in that outfit."

Prompto's mouth fell open, and flushing, the blond stammered, "R-really, you think?"

Noctis raised his eyebrows, and giving his friend a look, he huffed, "How many times do I have to tell you? I don't say things I don't mean."

 _That outfit was made for guys like you, Ignis, and Gladio. Almost like it was always meant to be..._

"A king for a best friend," Prompto said cheerfully, quickly changing the subject to hide his self-consciousness. "I kinda like the sound of that."

Noctis could feel a powerful warmth spreading inside of him that he had never experienced before, and pulling the blond against him again, his hand resting on the back of his friend's golden hair, he drawled, "Still think I got the better end of the deal."

Prompto yawned, and sounding sleepy, the blond joked, "Still not gonna call you 'your highness' though. Unless I'm poking fun at you."

Noctis let out a soft laugh, and shaking his head, he said warmly, "Wouldn't have it any other way."

"We've always been solid," Prompto mumbled sleepily against his shoulder. "Best buds forever, right?"

"Damn right," Noctis murmured, ruffling his friend's golden hair as he felt the blond's body go limp in his arms.

 _Always. Forever, you nerd.  
_

Prompto moved against him in a lazy stretch, and letting out a soft sigh, the blond said almost incoherently, "No take backs. You're stuck with me."

"Don't I know it," Noctis said dryly, shifting slightly as the blond quickly became dead weight in his arms.

"What that lady said, it's all true," Prompto rambled on in a sleepy manner, struggling to keep his eyes open. "I love you, man. Best friend a guy could ask for. And I do trust you. Always will, bro. I'm gonna be right by your side. Right to the end."

Noctis shook his head in fond amusement, and trying not to laugh, he rubbed his friend's back and said mildly, "Go to sleep, Prompto."

"I know you won't leave me," the blond mumbled in response, sounding completely at ease. "Won't listen to that voice. Not ever."

"Same to you," Noctis said quietly, his words burning with determination as the arms circling loosely around his waist suddenly dropped away. "Not gonna happen."

There was no response, and listening to Prompto's soft breathing, he held his friend close for a moment before laying the blond back on the mattress and covering the other man with the blankets that had fallen away. Prompto murmured something in response, but this time the blond's tone was pleasant as he slept.

Surprisingly, Ignis and Gladio hadn't awoken to the noise, and settling himself next to Prompto, Noctis quickly curled under the blankets again and closed his eyes. As the cool breeze drifted across his face, he could feel the blond's warmth soaking into his back, and despite the fact that his friend had a larger share of the blankets than he did, he wasn't complaining. The closeness between them felt nice, reassuring after the way Prompto had tried to struggle out of his grasp earlier, and shifting into a more comfortable position, he allowed himself a small smile.

 _Love you too, buddy._

Chances were neither one of them would mention the incident in the morning, and he was perfectly okay with that. It wasn't something they needed to talk about. That was just how they were, and whether they rehashed what had happened or not, it wouldn't change a thing between them. Like Prompto had said, they were solid like that. Though the blond's dream still bothered him, and he still really wanted to slice somebody up for it, he knew Prompto probably wouldn't remember the nightmare at all once they woke up, but there wasn't a whole lot he could do about that. He just had to trust that the blond would always remember that they had each other's backs, and there was nothing in all of Eos that could ever make him leave his best friend behind.

He might be the future king of the Lucis kingdom, but that didn't mean a damn thing. No matter his royal bloodline, Prompto was the one getting the short end of the stick between them. He was the lucky one, and that was true when it came to all three of his Crownsguard members.

For he knew without a single doubt that it was the light of their love for him and the strength of the bond they all shared that would truly bring forth a new dawn.

-End-


End file.
